Where firefighters come to talk training
Pump Operator 101 Simulation
We took a different tack with the sim just released -- rather than a fire scenario, we focused on basic pump operations. We put in a whole bunch of governors to choose from so it can suit as many departments as possible.
While there is a basic protocol given, you as the instructor can turn off the messages and provide your own. We don't tell you to flow such and such at such and such rate, you supply those numbers that fit your equipment.
In making this sim, we had a lot of discussions about what to include or not include. For example, in Palm Beach and surrounding areas, particularly the warm climates, the practice is to crack open the tank fill valve to let water recirculate. We heard from some others in other parts of the US that this is not their practice. Therefore, we decided to make that an option (by default, it makes you open the tank fill valve, but you can remove that by setting a field in the control panel).
We'd love to hear how you are using the sim and what you like or don't like, maybe what you'd like to see in the future. You can see that we're providing a foundation, but if there's enough interest we can get into more involved situations (e.g., kinked hose, burst length, etc.).
While there is a basic protocol given, you as the instructor can turn off the messages and provide your own. We don't tell you to flow such and such at such and such rate, you supply those numbers that fit your equipment.
In making this sim, we had a lot of discussions about what to include or not include. For example, in Palm Beach and surrounding areas, particularly the warm climates, the practice is to crack open the tank fill valve to let water recirculate. We heard from some others in other parts of the US that this is not their practice. Therefore, we decided to make that an option (by default, it makes you open the tank fill valve, but you can remove that by setting a field in the control panel).
We'd love to hear how you are using the sim and what you like or don't like, maybe what you'd like to see in the future. You can see that we're providing a foundation, but if there's enough interest we can get into more involved situations (e.g., kinked hose, burst length, etc.).
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Douglas Watson on -
Jonathan,
So far, the response from the few I have shown is great. Once the folks get familiar with the pump panel layout, they really express intrest and want to pull levers and switch between tank & hydrant water, watching how the gauges recact. It looks like you've got it acting like a real pump. In future versions, I'd like to see things like drafting, relay pumping, multiple intake and discharge lines....the sky is the limit! This will be a great tool that the Drivers can use as a refresher without damaging equipment or wasting fuel! I am going to use it with my next class begining next month.
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Permalink Reply by Andy DiRuzza on -
This is an interesting simulation that I really enjoyed. The only issue that I saw was that you have to pump from the tank to pass the test. I was taught that once you secure your water source you keep the tank as emergency only. You then shut off your Tank to pump, and Tank Fill and use the hydrant as the source of water. This leaves the tank as option B if the main malfunctions.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kaye on -
Thanks for the feedback!
I am not a pump operator, but I think you can do that -- the idea with these simulations is that they can be adapted by the instructor. The test has some basics, but you can instruct your students to do more. It will say that the student is done, but the student can keep working.
Once you have secured your water source and opened the intake valve, you can close the tank-to-pump, and then once you re-fill your tank, you can close the tank fill valve (once the intake valve is open, the tank begins re-filling, otherwise, if the intake valve is not open, and the line is charged, water is drawn from the tank). So even if the instructions officially don't require it, you can make your students practice your protocol.
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Permalink Reply by Douglas Watson on
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Jonathan, Still lots of great reviews! Andy presents a good point...pump operators sometimes have a hydrant & don't need tank water. Since what we developed was the most basic of scenarios, I'd like to see future scenarios that allows the user to connect to a hydrant first.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kaye on
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I understand now Andy's comment. I do appreciate the compliment!
We can see where the community wants to take this, and expand the configuration of tests and exercises. Please keep the comments coming!
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Permalink Reply by Aaron Robbins on -
I would like to see more of these
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Permalink Reply by Bob Franklin on -
On the question whether to close the tank to pump valve after water supply is established, all apparatus built after 1970 was required to have a clapper valve in the tank to pump line. When the water supply is established, the clapper will close automatically. You can leave the tank to pump valve open, then in the event that incoming water supply is lost, the clapper valve will open returning supply from the tank. It is important to fill the on board water tank as soon as possible. If you leave to tank fill open this will allow water to fill the tank, but also will allow water to circulate to prevent the pump from overheating. Any excess water will be discharge by the tank over flow piping.
You must keep water circulating, even from a water sourse to prevent the pump from overheating. To circulate water leave the tank fill open half or simply open another discharge 1/4 and dump the excess water. I have found in my 30+ years as a pump mechanic, that most overheating damage occurs when operating from a incomong water source rather than from on-board operations. When we are taking incoming water, we forget that we still must circulate water to prevent over heating of the pump
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Permalink Reply by Tom Bickford on -
This is a great simulation, Both my wife and I found it extremely helpful, since having two kids makes it hard to get to the fire station to train with the engines as often as we'd like to do it.
'd like to see a simulation for drafting operations, since I live in a town that has more areas outside the hydrant district than in it. Drafting also provides for dozens of things to go wrong from opening a discharge too fast to having marsh grass clog the suction strainer and the standard problem of overheating the pump if you don't flow water.
When drafting on a dirt banking, I prefer flowing water through a nozzle or short line off a pump discharge or even the deck gun so I can control where the water is falling and avoid washing out the banking under the pumper.
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Permalink Reply by Mike on -
I can understand having to go around the engine before leaving the station for a D/E trainee, but I would like to be able to only use the hydraulic portion. In future editions, I would like to see multiple lines with differing pressures, to better simulate actual fire scenes. Other than those nits to pick, great teaching tool.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kaye on
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Thanks Tom, Mike, Aaron, Bob, and everyone. We really appreciate the feedback and we'll see how we can incorporate it in future sims.
Regarding Mike's comment about multiple lines, don't forget that Sim #1 (It's Your Call) has a pump operator drill at the end of it in which the student runs two lines, and there is a mini-tutorial about calculating pressures. Unfortunately, you have to get through the first part (surveying the scene) to reach the second part.
I know Capt. Watson and I have been talking about future editions, and though the next set of sims have been predetermined (we're going to do some positive pressure scenarios), I'm sure we'll be adding to operator training in the not-so-distant future.
Thanks again for letting us know how we can make the training even better!
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